The brakes of your car play an essential role to the safety of everyone in the car. This is why it is so important that you do everything that you can to keep the brakes of your car healthy and fully functional. Here are some signs that your brakes are failing and what you should do if your brakes give out on you while you are driving.

Signs of Failing Brakes

Ideally you should be detecting any problems with the brakes before the issue becomes too severe. Knowing what to look for will be the best way to prevent problems and protect everyone in the car. One of the first signs that your car brakes are failing is a high pitched squealing sound and grinding. This could mean that the brake pads are worn and that the brakes are already grinding on the wheels. If you notice any kind of noise, don't risk it: just take the car into the mechanic like Alaskan Auto Center Inc and get the car serviced right away.

Second, there should always be brakes that are responsive and quick when you touch them. You shouldn't have to slam on the brake pedal to get the brakes to respond. This may be a sign that the brakes are no longer effective at doing their job.

Lastly, pay close attention to how the car responds when you press the brakes. Does the car pull to one side or the other? If so, this could be a problem. This may be a sign that one side has already failed and you are only using one working brake. If you notice this problem, get straight to the mechanic to get it resolved.

What You Should Do If Your Brakes Have Failed

If your breaks are failing while you are driving you could be in a lot of danger. First you need to notify the other drivers around you that your safety has been compromised. Put your hazard lights on and honk the horn to let those around you know what you are unsafe.

Second, you should stop accelerating. As your speed starts to slow down get over into the slowest lane possible so that you can try to coast to a stop. You should even downshift the gear of your car; this will help to slow it down.

You can pump the brake pedal to help activate the anti lock brakes, and as the car slows down enough you can try using the emergency brake. However you might swerve, so you need to make sure that you have enough space to activate the emergency brake.

Obviously, the best thing to do is to catch the problem early. This is why it is best to look for the warning signs and get the car serviced before the problem becomes serious.

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Many parents scrape together enough money to get their teenage driver a car that can be driven safely. Unfortunately, finding cheap cars for your teen can be difficult and many of them come with mechanical problems. If you have purchased a cheaper, high-mileage vehicle for your teen, there are some things you can do to keep it running long enough for your teen to raise the money to buy a newer, better car. Visit my site to learn what to do to keep the car running and safe for your teen to drive for the next couple of years until something better can be bought.